diff --git a/oslo_concurrency/processutils.py b/oslo_concurrency/processutils.py
index 8479a3a..3ccbced 100644
--- a/oslo_concurrency/processutils.py
+++ b/oslo_concurrency/processutils.py
@@ -503,9 +503,21 @@ def trycmd(*args, **kwargs):
 
 def ssh_execute(ssh, cmd, process_input=None,
                 addl_env=None, check_exit_code=True,
-                binary=False, timeout=None):
+                binary=False, timeout=None,
+                sanitize_stdout=True):
     """Run a command through SSH.
 
+    :param ssh:             An SSH Connection object.
+    :param cmd:             The command string to run.
+    :param check_exit_code: If an exception should be raised for non-zero
+                            exit.
+    :param timeout:         Max time in secs to wait for command execution.
+    :param sanitize_stdout: Defaults to True. If set to True, stdout is
+                            sanitized i.e. any sensitive information like
+                            password in command output will be masked.
+    :returns:               (stdout, stderr) from command execution through
+                            SSH.
+
     .. versionchanged:: 1.9
        Added *binary* optional parameter.
     """
@@ -537,13 +549,21 @@ def ssh_execute(ssh, cmd, process_input=None,
         # mask_password() requires Unicode on Python 3
         stdout = os.fsdecode(stdout)
         stderr = os.fsdecode(stderr)
-    stdout = strutils.mask_password(stdout)
+
+    if sanitize_stdout:
+        stdout = strutils.mask_password(stdout)
+
     stderr = strutils.mask_password(stderr)
 
     # exit_status == -1 if no exit code was returned
     if exit_status != -1:
         LOG.debug('Result was %s' % exit_status)
         if check_exit_code and exit_status != 0:
+            # In case of errors in command run, due to poor implementation of
+            # command executable program, there might be chance that it leaks
+            # sensitive information like password to stdout. In such cases
+            # stdout needs to be sanitized even though sanitize_stdout=False.
+            stdout = strutils.mask_password(stdout)
             raise ProcessExecutionError(exit_code=exit_status,
                                         stdout=stdout,
                                         stderr=stderr,
diff --git a/oslo_concurrency/tests/unit/test_processutils.py b/oslo_concurrency/tests/unit/test_processutils.py
index 29576e5..820839f 100644
--- a/oslo_concurrency/tests/unit/test_processutils.py
+++ b/oslo_concurrency/tests/unit/test_processutils.py
@@ -758,7 +758,8 @@ class SshExecuteTestCase(test_base.BaseTestCase):
         fake_stdout.channel.recv_exit_status.return_value = rc
         fake_stdout.read.return_value = b'password="secret"'
 
-        fake_stderr = six.BytesIO(b'password="foobar"')
+        fake_stderr = mock.Mock()
+        fake_stderr.read.return_value = b'password="foobar"'
 
         command = 'ls --password="bar"'
 
@@ -778,6 +779,20 @@ class SshExecuteTestCase(test_base.BaseTestCase):
             self.assertEqual('ls --password="***"', err.cmd)
             self.assertNotIn('secret', str(err))
             self.assertNotIn('foobar', str(err))
+
+            # test ssh_execute with sanitize_stdout=False
+            err = self.assertRaises(processutils.ProcessExecutionError,
+                                    processutils.ssh_execute,
+                                    connection, command,
+                                    check_exit_code=check,
+                                    sanitize_stdout=False)
+
+            self.assertEqual(rc, err.exit_code)
+            self.assertEqual('password="***"', err.stdout)
+            self.assertEqual('password="***"', err.stderr)
+            self.assertEqual('ls --password="***"', err.cmd)
+            self.assertNotIn('secret', str(err))
+            self.assertNotIn('foobar', str(err))
         else:
             o, e = processutils.ssh_execute(connection, command,
                                             check_exit_code=check)
@@ -786,6 +801,15 @@ class SshExecuteTestCase(test_base.BaseTestCase):
             self.assertIn('password="***"', fixture.output)
             self.assertNotIn('bar', fixture.output)
 
+            # test ssh_execute with sanitize_stdout=False
+            o, e = processutils.ssh_execute(connection, command,
+                                            check_exit_code=check,
+                                            sanitize_stdout=False)
+            self.assertEqual('password="secret"', o)
+            self.assertEqual('password="***"', e)
+            self.assertIn('password="***"', fixture.output)
+            self.assertNotIn('bar', fixture.output)
+
     def test_compromising_ssh1(self):
         self._test_compromising_ssh(rc=-1, check=True)